Vulture Vein
by rhapsodybree
Summary: EAGLE EYE. Three instances where Rachel’s ex-husband Craig Holloman interacts with Jerry Shaw, Sam making frequent appearances.
1. Dawn

Disclaimer: I own nothing, except my own creations.

* * *

The rays of light had barely filtered through the curtains when Samuel Holloman dashed into his mother's bedroom two and a half months after his ninth birthday.

"Dad's here!" he called loudly.

Rachel Holloman was slow to awaken and replied with something akin to "Nrgh?", whilst Jerry Shaw managed a more intelligible "Sam?" as he lifted his head from his position behind the kid's mother.

Happy that someone was responding – not really caring who – Sam dashed around to the other side of the bed and jumped up. Pulling at Jerry's shoulder, he pushed his arm backward and forward in a bid for further attention.

"Do I gotta get up little man?" Jerry mumbled as he fell onto his back, a hand easily brushing Sam's ruffled hair atop his eager face.

"I can't open the door myself!" pressured the young boy, bouncing on the spot. "Dad's here!" he reiterated, as if to make it clearer just what this meant.

Jerry groaned as he pushed his half of the coverlet back, deliberately covering the grinning boy with his sheets as he heaved himself upward and reached for a shirt.

Said grinning boy pulled himself free and vaulted off the end of the bed. Jerry wasn't moving quickly enough for his liking and so Sam turned back, tugging on the man's hand as a knock sounded.

Jerry unlocked the front door with a yawn as Sam barely contained his pent up energy, bouncing the balls of his feet. The door opened, young Holloman dashed forward with a happy scream of "Dad!"

Craig Holloman laughed as he threw his boy up into the air. "Hey son!" Standing him on the porch, Rachel's ex-husband pulled free a box. "Look what I got you!"

"You remembered my birthday!" said Sam joyously, taking the box reverently.

"Birthday?" said Craig in confusion before quickly recovering. "That's right buddy. Happy Birthday. The card is on its way."

Sam dashed back into the house with the precious box as Craig stood upright. He noted Jerry for the first time and scowled. "Who are you?"

"Jerry Shaw," replied the now wide awake man.

"Do I know you from somewhere?"

"I sincerely hope not."

Jerry was unsure of what to do next, but Craig marched through the still open and made for the kitchen, making himself quite at home.

In the kitchen as Sam ooh-ed and ahh-ed over the much belated birthday present from his father, Rachel finally managed to grace all with her presence.

She kissed her son on the head where he sat at the dining table before she headed for the kitchen. Pressing her lips to Jerry's as a good morning, she stiffened when she registered the presence of another man.

"Hello Craig."


	2. Rise

Disclaimer: I own nothing, except my own creations.

* * *

Less than a year later, two weeks before Sam's tenth birthday, Jerry Shaw paid a little visit to Sam's biological father.

Knocking on the door of the trailer, he got straight to the point when a dazed man opened the door. "It's your kid's birthday in two weeks," he said. "Think you can remember it this time?"

Craig Holloman stepped forward and slammed his door shut, an effect spoilt as he stumbled down the stairs. "What are you talking about?" he retaliated. "Don't you try and tell me what to do. I know my kid's birthday."

"Sure you do," said Jerry sarcastically. Seeing the man opposite him raising his fist, he backed away and raised his hands in surrender. "I'm not looking for a fight," he promised. "Just be there."

Rachel was amazed when, come Sam's birthday party, Craig had not only remembered their son's birthday, he had accepted the party invite _and _arrived on time. Her eyes sought out Jerry's then and she mouthed 'thank you'.

Jerry raised his arms in a 'wasn't me' gesture, but Rachel refused to believe it and his face morphed into a shy smile.

(He didn't know it yet, but Rachel was going to thank him many times over later that night.)

* * *

Leaning over rail on the back deck, Jerry held a neglected soft drink can in his hand as his eyes watched Rachel laughing with another parent as the last child got ready to leave.

He took a gulp of his drink when an unwanted man sidled up to him. "Got a thing for Rach do you?" asked Craig Holloman, taking a swig of his own drink.

Jerry declined from answering as he attempted to inch to the left inconspicuously.

Craig didn't care about the lack of reply as he continued on. "You marry the broad and I don't have to pay child support no more," he said in a voice that trembled with ill-disguised glee. "So how about it bro?" he posed, slapping Jerry's shoulder.

Caught off balance, Jerry righted himself with a tight smile, still declining from answering.

Irate that he wasn't getting the much wanted answers from the man beside him, Craig decided to take pot-shots at his career instead. "So what do you do for a living anyway?"

"I work for the government," replied Jerry shortly.

"That corrupt thing?" snorted Craig, taking another swig of his beer. "Bet you get paid to sit on your ass and do nothing all day."

When Sam came bounding up the stairs onto the back deck holding a sheaf of papers covered in diagrams and instructions, Jerry turned but restrained himself from jumping right in as he would normally do.

Sam was headed for Jerry first, but then remembered his Dad was there and changed course. "Hey Dad!" he called, shaking the papers up and down. "I need help building my car."

Craig laughed as he ruffled his son's hair. "Sorry kiddo, I think I've drunk a little much. And you know me, I'm no good with a hammer."

"But there's no hammer..." protested Sam, but his father had already turned and gone.

It was Jerry who helped instead.


	3. Sunset

Disclaimer: I own nothing, except my own creations.

* * *

Jerry Shaw pulled into the carpark and killed the ignition. Ten year old Sam Holloman jumped out the passenger door and raced around to the boot.

Spotting Craig Holloman's form standing on the jetty, thankfully present for this father/son outing – a rare event in itself – Jerry opened the boot.

His arms full, Sam energetically leading the way down the beaten path, Jerry mentally crossed of everything required for this expedition.

Wordlessly handing Craig a fishing rod of his to use, he handed Sam his water bottle, hat, checked the fishing rod, tied a shoelace and reminded the young boy about the mobile phone in his backpack. "Use it if you need anything."

"Bye Jerry!" called Sam with a quick hug before he tugged his dad to the boardwalk.

"Have fun little man."

* * *

Craig grilled his son on life at home as the car left and they set themselves up at the end of the jetty. "So is Jerry around alot now?" he asked casually.

"Uh huh," nodded Sam as he positioned his rod just right and let it fly. It landed true and Craig acknowledged the plop. "Nice skill you got there."

"Jerry showed me," replied Sam with his usual winning smile.

Craig marvelled that he really should feel more annoyed that it was Jerry this, Jerry that, but he figured, hey, if the guy wanted to put in the hard yards, far be it from him to butt in. Saved him having to teach it.

"Jerry's showing me how to build too," continued the boy enthusiastically, his eyes intent on his line. "We're building a baby's cot together."

"That's nice," came the default answer before Craig realised just what Sam had said. "Baby?" he repeated in confusion. "What baby?"

"Our baby," said Sam, sparing a glance to his father as the answer were the most obvious thing. "Mum's looking _huge _now."

"I see."

* * *

It had been six months since he last saw his ex-wife, and when he dropped his son off later that morning, he could see there had been some changes in that time.

"Hello Rachel," he said as Sam disappeared past his mother, the heavily pregnant woman brushing her hand over his hair before pulling her long cardigan around her form, crossing her arms over her swollen abdomen. She nodded to him from the doorway, not inviting him in. "Craig."

There was silence before Craig spoke. "I'll come back soon."

"When?" demanded Rachel, wanting to know.

"It's hard to tell," he protested weakly. "It's life on the road you know?"

"Yeah I know," sighed the woman, resting one hand on her hip, the other brushing hair from her face. "It'll tell Sam you're going away again then shall I?" she added sarcastically.

"If you could?" replied Craig eagerly. When his ex-wife pinned him with a glare, he swallowed and changed the topic of conversation. "So... Congratulations," he offered, gesturing vaguely toward her middle area.

"Hmm."

"Hope Jerry sticks around," he laughed, his attempt at a joke. "Heaven knows, it is hard work."

Rachel shut the door in his face.

_What?! _


End file.
